The Mérida Initiative, aka Plan Mexico, was defined as a “new security cooperation initiative” between Mexico and the United States to combat drug trafficking and organized crime. While the stated goals are to “produce a safer and more secure hemisphere and prevent the spread of illicit drugs and transnational threats,” the reality of the initiative for the Mexican people tells a different story.

Participants in this delegation will:

• Meet with policy analysts to learn more about the Mérida Initiative and its impact on human rights.

• Hear stories from lawyers about the dangerous work they do to defend human rights in Mexico.

• Hear from both opponents and supporters of judicial reform, one component of the Mérida Initiative.
• Learn more about drug policies both in Mexico and internationally.
• Learn about the structural causes of economic injustice in Mexico and its connections to the drug war.
  
• Learn about alternative strategies that can better serve citizens in both the United States and Mexico.
• Learn how to advocate for policy change in the United States.